Hunter
10/17/23
An appearance from an anti-trans speaker at the University of Iowa drew protests from the campus community Monday night.
The student group Young Americans for Freedom brought in Chloe Cole, who transitioned to a male before de-transitioning back to being female.
The Daily Iowan reports nearly 150 University of Iowa students gathered around the IMU and walked in circles at the intersection of Jefferson and Madison Streets to protest Cole’s appearance. Some held signs with sayings like “Let trans people exist,” “You can’t legislate away trans people,” “Protect trans kids” and “Trans people belong in Iowa.” After disrupting traffic for a brief time, they marched to UI President Barbara Wilson’s house and ended the protest.
The appearance was attended by about 150 people inside the IMU. Cole discussed the pressure she faced from her doctors to transition and her efforts to pass legislation to ban gender-affirming care for minors.
Young Americans for Freedom Vice Chair Justin Petkus told KCRG TV ahead of Cole’s appearance that the group got intense criticism from the campus community once the event was announced. He said there had been threats, attacks against the group, and what he alleged was the prevention of free speech. YAF claimed that almost all their promotional material announcing Cole’s appearance were destroyed, in violation of University policy prohibiting students to vandalize or remove flyers and chalk messages.